Maintaining Accessible Web Sites

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Many non-profits, governments, and government funded organizations are now required to maintain sites that follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). In the United States, any organization that receives funding from the Federal government must follow the Section 508 Legislation to ensure that web content can be accessed by individuals using assistive web technologies.

Web Accessibility as defined by the W3C involves four principals.

Perceivable - Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. (it can't be invisible to all of their senses)

Operable - User interface components and navigation must be operable by users of all abilities using a variety of means including Assistive Technologies. (screen readers, sip & puff)

Understandable - Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. (the content or operation cannot be beyond their understanding)

Robust - Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. (as technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible)

Developing and maintaining an accessible web site that meets the regulations and guidelines requires careful planning and consideration by your web developer and by those tasked with maintaining the site.